Currently, besides Tencent's WeChat and QQ, there are also Xiaomi's MiTalk, China Mobile's Fetion, and social apps like YY.
Previously, Wang Yi didn't make chat apps because he lacked capital and couldn't compete with Tencent.
But now, Meiyou's user base has exceeded 60 million, and "Defend the Grapefruit's" user base has surpassed 80 million!
WeChat has the QQ user base as its foundation, and Wang Yi can also use Meiyou and "Defend the Grapefruit" as a foundation.
It can be said that the current Wang Yi has capital when he needs it and a user base when he needs it; even if he creates a social app, relying on Meiyou and "Defend the Grapefruit," it can quickly grow large.
Coupled with the future Xingyi phone, with its own chat app built-in, and internationalization advantages, it can definitely become big.
After all, WeChat has only been around for a little over half a year and hasn't fully taken off yet; its total user base is only tens of millions, even less than Meiyou.
Moreover, Tencent's current market value is only over 300 billion Hong Kong dollars, on par with HM, not the three-trillion-dollar giant it would become ten years later, and is not unbeatable.
In terms of revenue, Tencent earns around 28 billion per year, Alibaba over 10 billion, neither is as terrifying as the 600-700 billion annual revenue ten years later.
To put it plainly, in 2011, Xiaomi had just started, the BAT giants were also developing and were not yet super overlords.
Precisely because of this, Meituan couldn't even get a payment license in 2011!
A few years later, Wang Yi might not be able to contend with the BAT giants with trillions in market value.
But now, Wang Yi can still wrestle with the BAT giants with over 300 billion market value!
Moreover, WeChat's current features are still very simple; only voice messages, drifting bottles, people nearby, and similar features have been launched.
Even Moments hasn't been launched; other excellent features will have to wait a very long time.
For example, the most core features like voice calls, video calls, WeChat Pay, red packet function, transfer function, etc., were only launched in 2014.
Local lifestyle services, mini-programs, and the like came even later.
If Wang Yi launched voice calls in 2012, he would undoubtedly be far ahead, and taking down WeChat would be no problem.
Then, getting a payment license in early 2013, launching red packet and transfer functions during the New Year, and launching video functions, allowing relatives thousands of miles away to make video New Year greetings and send red packets online!
With this combination of moves, it could definitely grow big and strong, and getting rid of other social apps would be effortless.
Against a nascent WeChat, Wang Yi still has a great advantage.
But the longer it drags on, the later the social strategy is implemented, the smaller this advantage becomes.
Wang Yi had a plan: social software must be deployed as early as possible and started as soon as possible.
There was no other way; social software was too important, Wang Yi had to do it.
In his previous life, WeChat developed rapidly, not only becoming the number one social giant but also using WeChat Pay to overtake Alipay!
Most obviously, in 2018, consumers mostly used Alipay for shopping, but after 2020, more people started using WeChat Pay instead!
Even though Alipay is a professional payment app, it still couldn't compete with WeChat, a cross-industry player that started with social networking.
The reason is simple: a single payment app is not irreplaceable; social interaction is the essential need.
Without Alipay, one can still pay with WeChat.
But without WeChat, socializing via Alipay would be difficult...
WeChat mini-programs are equivalent to a system platform, with profound strategic significance.
In such an important field as social networking, it would be inexcusable for Wang Yi not to do it!
As for the social app's name, its English name will be "X Chat."
And its Chinese name will be "Xing Liao?" "Xing Yu?" "Zhi Liao?" "Chang Liao?" "Feng Xin?"
Moreover, Wang Yi is familiar with WeChat and comes from a programming background, so he just needs to gather a large number of top programmers in the Imperial Capital, then propose the requirements, and let his subordinates develop it.
The WeChat project was proposed in October 2010, and version 1.0 was released in January 2011, taking about two months.
If X Chat is planned now, launching it next January shouldn't be a problem.
Not all features need to be built at once; just get ahead of WeChat and take it slowly.
The key is precision!
For example, first, launch Moments, which WeChat hasn't done yet, ahead of time!
Also, the "People Nearby" feature that WeChat already has must be added, but Xingyi Technology needs to do it better.
Not only launch "People Nearby" but also directly launch "Food Nearby" and "Attractions Nearby"!
However, "nearby" cannot be used; a different name must be used.
It will be called "Surrounding."
Surrounding Food, Surrounding Fun!
This wouldn't count as copying WeChat; after all, it's been upgraded far too much.
Instead, WeChat would have to turn around and copy X Chat's Surrounding Fun and Surrounding Scenery.
And "Shake" will be changed to "Xing Yu," with a starry sky background.
Shake the phone, the galaxy shines brightly, randomly connecting users who shake their phones at the same time; across the galaxy, destiny ties them together.
As for "Drifting Bottle," it will be changed to "Xing Xin," turning user-edited content and voice messages into paper airplanes, flying towards the brilliant galaxy, transforming into a star, waiting for fated people to retrieve.
Of course, users can also retrieve others' Xing Xin from the galaxy.
The gameplay is similar to Drifting Bottle, but more magnificent.
In addition, colorful Xing Xin can also be launched, allowing the sender to restrict the recipient's age, gender, or even hobbies... making Xing Xin more playable.
It would truly surpass its predecessor.
Arriving at Meiyou Tower, Wang Yi went straight to the IT department.
During this time, the IT department had been constantly recruiting talent.
Meiyou Technology was developing rapidly, with increasing business, so naturally, the more first-class developers, the better.
"Boss, you're here!"
Cai Zisong quickly came to greet him.
Ever since Wang Yi went to the Imperial Capital, he hadn't seen Wang Yi for a while.
"Meiyou 4.0, no more issues, right?"
"No problem. After multiple rounds of testing, all bugs in version 4.0 have been fixed. It can be launched anytime."
The biggest update for Meiyou 4.0 was the official launch of Meiyou Novels.
"Very good." Wang Yi nodded. "On the 25th, launch the internal beta for Meiyou Novels and promote it to paid novel users first."
"Okay, Boss,"
Cai Zisong replied, hesitating to speak.
Wang Yi waved his hand.
"Old Cai, you've been with me since Meiyou started; just say whatever's on your mind, don't hold anything back!"
"Okay!"
Cai Zisong smiled slightly.
"Boss, the IT department has too many people now; even if some are transferred to the game department, it's still too many. But there aren't that many tasks, especially since version 4.0 development is complete, all bugs are gone; the testing team can continue testing, but the development team has nothing to do."
Wang Yi smiled.
Old Cai was an honest person and felt a bit uneasy about just taking money and not working over the past week.
"That's easy to deal with. Split off another testing department specifically responsible for testing work. In addition, the development team will also be subdivided into two parts. A small portion will enter the Meiyou Business Unit, specifically responsible for Meiyou's subsequent maintenance and updates. There won't be many major updates in the future, so not too many people are needed."
Meiyou had developed to this point; after launching novels, subsequent new projects would need to be fragmented and couldn't continue to be piled onto Meiyou.
"All remaining developers will all enter a new department to build the social software 'X Chat'!"
For such an important business as X Chat, Wang Yi still decided, like Meiyou, to entrust it to Cai Zisong's team.
After all, this team had already worked together, their capabilities were outstanding, and Wang Yi was very satisfied with the several versions of Meiyou they developed.
The developers in the Imperial Capital were all newly recruited, and there might even be commercial spies among them.
Wang Yi certainly didn't dare to directly entrust such an important business as X Chat to them.
Instead, Wang Yi would subdivide X Chat into modules, handing less important modules to the Imperial Capital team.
Confidential and core modules would still be handled by Cai Zisong's team.
After some time, once it was confirmed that the people in the Imperial Capital were trustworthy, he would then assign them important tasks.
A long road tests a horse's strength, time reveals a person's heart.
It's better to use veterans first and test the new recruits later.
"Boss, we're doing social networking? Like WeChat, or YY?"
Cai Zisong was excited; work had arrived!
"WeChat + YY! We won't choose; we want both!"
Wang Yi explained patiently,
"The future direction of development is specialization. Consumers prefer subtraction; if one app can handle it, they definitely won't like two, or even three apps. So our X Chat needs to perfectly replace WeChat + YY. By then, many users of WeChat and YY will flow to us."
Wang Yi knew that subsequent Android apps would become increasingly bloated, with redundant features, causing users much frustration.
Conversely, if one app can handle everything, it would free up a lot of space and resources.
For example, ten years later, many people abandoned Alipay and went all-in on WeChat, precisely because WeChat could do social networking, financial management, and transfers.
To put it plainly, everything Alipay could do, WeChat could also do, so keeping Alipay to take up space made little sense.
Therefore, many people with limited storage had uninstalled Alipay, keeping only WeChat.
Similarly, social apps like MiTalk, YY, Fetion, Soul, Tantan, etc., were also uninstalled by some users, leaving possibly only WeChat + QQ on their phones.
Some people even stopped using QQ.
The general direction of ecological development is for single apps to become more and more comprehensive in features, while the number of apps on phones becomes fewer and fewer.
No one prefers fifty apps if thirty can get the job done.
After all, boys' games and teachers' lessons all take up quite a bit of space.
Girls like taking photos and videos, which consumes even more space.
Android phones are fine; the 512GB or even 1TB versions don't cost much more.
But iPhones have higher costs; the 256GB is a thousand yuan more expensive than the 128GB standard version, the 512GB is three thousand more, and the 1TB version is five thousand more!
Only if X Chat, like WeChat, possesses the functions of multiple apps will it be continuously used by users; otherwise, it will be replaced by other apps and abandoned by users.
Subsequently, Wang Yi explained the core features of X Chat version 1.0 one by one to Cai Zisong.
Cai Zisong took out his notebook and meticulously took notes.
With Wang Yi's requirements, it was equivalent to completing the initial market research and user needs analysis for software development.
Then, Cai Zisong would analyze Wang Yi's proposed requirements, conduct software design, break X Chat down into different modules, and then assign different modules to the employees below for individual development.
Finally, by integrating the different modules, a complete software would be formed.
After testing by the testing department, finding and fixing bugs, X Chat would finally be completely developed.
What remained was internal testing, official launch, and subsequent maintenance and upgrades.
"Boss, don't worry, I will definitely develop X Chat as soon as possible!"
Cai Zisong promised.
Currently, Meiyou had ample personnel; developing X Chat version 1.0 would not be a problem.
Wang Yi nodded.
"WeChat 1.0 took over two months to develop. Ours is a bit more complex, but I'm also giving you two months!"
"This..."
Cai Zisong's expression changed slightly.
"Boss, the pressure is immense; after all, we have more features, equivalent to WeChat version 4.0!"
"Indeed, the workload is greater, but WeChat was 'crossing the river by feeling the stones'; we are 'crossing the river by feeling WeChat.' So the workload is greater, but it's somewhat easier."
Wang Yi waved his hand.
"So, I'm giving you two months. If you're short on staff, you can recruit. Also, the software development department in the Imperial Capital can also be put under your command. You can give them the non-core modules!"
Modules like "Surrounding," Xing Xin, and voice messages, which WeChat already has, are not secrets and can be assigned to the newly recruited employees in the Imperial Capital without issue.
However, features like Moments and voice calls, which WeChat doesn't have, are core and can only be completed by the veteran employees of Cai Zisong's department.
"Okay, Boss, with the help of colleagues in the Imperial Capital, it won't be a problem,"
Cai Zisong breathed a sigh of relief.
Essentially, with two development departments working simultaneously, efficiency would naturally be greatly improved.
Furthermore, Wang Yi had clearly explained what needed to be done; they just needed to develop it, which made it much easier.
As for WeChat's development, the development team had to conduct market research themselves, analyze, design, and verify themselves, often taking detours...
"Work hard. I hope that in two months, X Chat can successfully launch on Xingyi phones!"
Wang Yi patted Cai Zisong's shoulder.
This was the most important task at hand!
After all, WeChat and MiTalk had already started; X Chat was already a year late and had to catch up quickly.
"Okay, Boss, I guarantee it will be completed!"
Cai Zisong was full of fighting spirit.
He knew that how much year-end bonus he would receive depended entirely on X Chat's development progress.
If development progressed smoothly, year-end bonuses would be substantial.
If development didn't go well, then the year-end bonus would be hard to say.
"In the future, X Chat will be a core business; in a sense, even more important than Meiyou. So, you can extensively recruit top programmers. But pay attention to personnel screening and background checks; don't let anyone undesirable sneak in,"
Wang Yi said earnestly.
"Don't worry, Boss, newly recruited employees will undergo multiple rounds of screening and investigation. And initially, they won't be exposed to the most core business."
"Good!"
Wang Yi nodded and turned to leave.
Meiyou had developed to version 4.0; with novels launched, that was the end for now.
Any further additions would merely be an expansion of business scope.
For instance, Meiyou Mall launching new categories.
But core features would not see major updates in the short term, and as for Meiyou 5.0, that was even further away.
But X Chat was different; it would be continuously updated, upgraded, and new features would be constantly added.
X Chat was the most core business.
After all, X Chat's positioning was to implement WeChat's features from his previous life ahead of time, surpass WeChat, and replace WeChat!
Having been reborn, how could he not have some ambition?
In his previous life, the e-commerce sector was initially dominated by Alibaba; later, JD.com and PDD engaged in a "Three Kingdoms" struggle.
Especially after the economic downturn, with consumption trending downwards, PDD even had a tendency to surpass Alibaba!
But in the social sector, WeChat was the sole dominant player, leading the pack.
Second place was only held by its sibling, QQ.
Wang Yi could not give up such an important business.
X Chat could only succeed; failure was not an option.
But how to beat WeChat, that was the question, and required careful study.
Subsequently, Wang Yi also went to the game department.
Seeing Wang Yi arrive, Liang Qiye was first taken aback, then walked over with a smile.
"Boss, you're here!"
Wang Yi smiled and nodded.
"Excellent, 'Defend the Grapefruit' is very successful; everyone in your department gets a year-end bonus!"
"Boss is brilliant!"
Everyone in the room was excited.
The biggest benefit at Meiyou was that the capable were amply rewarded.
Departments with outstanding performance received high year-end bonuses.
Departments with the worst performance received low year-end bonuses.
Before "Defend the Grapefruit" was launched, the game department could only watch enviously as other departments received quarterly major awards, while they received nothing.
Now, they had finally seen the light after the clouds, and their year-end bonuses were secured!
"However!"
Wang Yi paused:
"Year-end bonuses are also tiered; whether you get a big award or a small one depends entirely on the revenue of the next few months. If 'Defend the Grapefruit's' revenue continues to rise, the big award won't get away. If revenue declines, then you can only get a small award. If revenue collapses, then there'll only be a small consolation prize left."
"This..."
The smiles on everyone's faces froze.
They thought that if the game became popular, they would get a big year-end award.
But it turned out they could only get an award, and how much depended on subsequent market performance.
To put it plainly, Wang Yi didn't just want a good start, but continued development thereafter!
"Don't worry, Boss, our department is neither arrogant in victory nor discouraged in defeat. Since 'Defend the Grapefruit' became a huge hit, we've been working even more overtime. Constantly optimizing the game experience, developing new maps and new modes. Currently, the major 1.1 update for 'Defend the Grapefruit' is ready; it not only adds a new theme but also opens up a challenge mode!"
"Very good. When revenue starts to decline, you'll need to start launching new versions."
"Yes!"
Liang Qiye replied.
"After completing version 1.1, also push through 1.2 and 1.3. By then, you can free up time to work on 'Defend the Grapefruit 2'!"
Wang Yi said earnestly:
"From now on, your department will be responsible for the development of 'Defend the Grapefruit.' Your performance and year-end bonuses will also be linked to 'Defend the Grapefruit's' revenue. Prosper together, suffer together."
"I understand!"
Liang Qiye took a deep breath, realizing the seriousness of the situation.
As a standalone game, no matter how popular "Defend the Grapefruit" became, it wouldn't stay popular for more than two years.
The public always favors the new and tires of the old!
Therefore, they needed to start working on "Defend the Grapefruit 2" in half a year and launch it in a year.
Only this way could they continuously retain users and continuously achieve profitability!
More importantly, if Meiyou didn't make "Defend the Grapefruit 2," other competitors would follow suit and make their own.
So Meiyou could only run faster!
"This month's revenue is good; your department's performance for this month will all receive a double coefficient! Keep up the good work next month!"
Wang Yi patted Liang Qiye's shoulder and turned to leave.
Cheers erupted in the room.
At Meiyou and Xingyi Technology, most people received base salary + performance bonuses.
As long as the assigned tasks were completed, it was a 1.0 performance coefficient.
If revenue was high, it was a 1.5x performance coefficient.
If a game like "Defend the Grapefruit" became a direct hit, it was a 2.0x performance coefficient.
Of course, if the assigned tasks were not completed, it was a 0.5x performance coefficient, or even 0x performance coefficient, receiving only the base salary.
Slacking off and still getting a high salary was absolutely impossible at Meiyou Technology.
Wang Yi did not keep idlers.
Just then, Song Sining's secretary Yu Xue walked over.
"Boss, the groundbreaking ceremony for Meiyou Science Park is in half an hour."
"Okay, let's go!"
Wang Yi stepped out, and Wu Shuang was already waiting in the car.
Ten minutes later, Wang Yi arrived at a construction site covering a full 300 mu, which was precisely the future Meiyou Science Park!
The construction site was fenced off, with excavators, bulldozers, and tower cranes parked inside.
Many workers were also waiting inside; they were the contractor's people.
The contractor was found by Song Sining earlier and was very reliable, with high cost-effectiveness.
Only half the usual cost would be enough, and they could still guarantee quality and quantity.
For general projects, a general contractor is usually found, who takes 20% and finds a sub-contractor, who then takes a portion and finds a third-tier contractor...
With layers of subcontracting like this, a 1 billion project for the first and second phases of the science park would end up with only 300 million in the hands of the actual construction company; it would be strange if they didn't cut corners!
If the intermediate sub-contractors further defaulted on payments, leading to the construction company not getting paid and causing trouble, the impact would be significant.
Meiyou Technology would also be affected.
Therefore, Song Sining did not look for well-known general contractors; instead, she directly sought out high-quality local construction companies!
After all, even if a general contractor was hired, it would still be a local construction company doing the work, and they might not even be of high quality.
Now, Meiyou directly found local construction companies, eliminating middlemen profiting from price differences.
A 1 billion project could be completed with just 500 million, and Meiyou Technology directly saved 500 million.
The construction company could also earn an extra 200 million, ensuring more materials and better quality.
They also wouldn't have to worry about project funds being embezzled by intermediate sub-contractors and not getting paid.
It was a win-win situation for all.
The only ones suffering were the general contractors and sub-contractors, who couldn't earn profits and couldn't get their cuts.
Wang Yi didn't mind this.
Just like e-commerce, why could it bring prices down?
It was all because there were no middlemen to earn the price difference.
Times were changing, everything was changing.
Of course, Wang Yi could play this game, but for others to want to do this, it would be difficult.
If any "devils and monsters" popped up to cause trouble, it would make things difficult.
But Wang Yi didn't care.
Meiyou was a major taxpayer in the High-tech Zone; not just the High-tech Zone, even Jizhou was paying attention.
If anyone truly dared to step out and cause trouble, it would be interesting.
Moreover, Meiyou's legal team was not to be trifled with.
Those low-lives typically bullied the weak and feared the strong.
The current Meiyou was no longer an entity they could provoke.
"Chairman Wang, you're here!"
Seeing Wang Yi approach, He Dean, the general manager of both the general contractor and construction company, came forward with a loud laugh to greet him.
As a top local construction company in Jizhou, he had various construction teams under him, including earthwork, foundation pit, elevator, and fire protection construction teams.
Their main selling point was comprehensive teams and strong overall capabilities.
Therefore, many large projects in Jizhou were awarded to them, and they were ultimately the ones to carry out the construction.
But the project funds they received were only thirty percent of the total project funds.
The remaining seventy percent was siphoned off by general contractors, sub-contractors, and so on, layer by layer.
For the Meiyou Science Park project, he, as the grassroots construction company, was directly made the general contractor, receiving fifty percent of the project funds.
He Dean felt he had made a huge profit.
It was also because of this that the 500 million interest-free loan given by the High-tech Zone Management Committee, which was originally only enough to build the first phase of Meiyou Science Park, was now sufficient to build both the first and second phases together.
"Do a good job. There will be a third phase later, and even other projects,"
Wang Yi said meaningfully.
"There are other projects too!"
He Dean was extremely excited and completely understood Wang Yi's meaning.
"Don't worry, Chairman Wang, I will definitely guarantee quality and quantity and will never let you down."
"Good."
Wang Yi nodded, but secretly thought to himself: if He Dean truly proved good, he could be taken under his wing and become the official contractor.
After all, Meiyou possessed real estate qualifications and had three residential communities + one skyscraper awaiting development.
For the current Meiyou Science Park, the developer was Meteor Real Estate Co., Ltd. under Xingyi Technology, and the contractor was De'an Construction Co., Ltd.
If He Dean truly proved reliable, he would be Meteor Real Estate's official contractor in the future.
If he wasn't reliable, then he would miss out on this wave of wealth.
Many years later, after completing others' projects, He Dean would be worried to death just trying to collect project payments.
Many times, he would drink until he vomited blood and still not get them.
Even when clearly owed project payments, he would still have to spend money to smooth things over and give gifts everywhere...
But none of this would ever happen with Wang Yi.
"Chairman Wang, long time no see!"
A clear voice rang out, and several figures walked over.
"Director Hong!"
Wang Yi smiled slightly and went to greet him.
The God of Wealth has arrived.
These 300 mu of land were given by Director Hong.
It's worth mentioning that these 300 mu of land were not worthless industrial land, but very valuable commercial land, worth 1.5 billion.
Industrial land could only be built into industrial parks; even if office buildings and apartments were built alongside, they could not be sold separately to the public and could only be for self-use.
But commercial land was different; it could be built into office buildings or apartments, and both could be sold to the public!
Therefore, the price of commercial land was much higher than industrial land.
Although the vicinity was still the vast eastern suburbs and not valuable at the moment, 300 mu was only worth 1.5 billion.
But in a few years, when Meiyou 518 Tower was completed, the surrounding areas were demolished, and a financial center was established, this would become the future financial center, and land here would become extremely precious!
Then this piece of land would not be 1.5 billion, but 5 billion, or even more!
More importantly, Wang Yi didn't spend a dime on even this 1.5 billion.
It was entirely the High-tech Zone Management Committee betting with Wang Yi to retain Meiyou Technology.
As long as Meiyou achieved 3 billion in revenue within two years, these 300 mu of commercial land would be given to Wang Yi for free, and a 500 million interest-free loan would be provided for Wang Yi to complete the first phase of Meiyou Science Park construction.
Unexpectedly, why would it take two years?
Wang Yi completed the bet in less than two months and got 300 mu of land for free!
"Director Hong, oh Director Hong, you truly are a great benefactor!"
Wang Yi couldn't help but laugh.
Of course, the Management Committee didn't lose money either.
After all, with Meiyou reaching this level, its annual tax contributions were a terrifying figure.
This 1.5 billion land would soon be earned back, and subsequent tax revenues would all be pure profit.
As for political achievements, that went without saying.
So much so that now, when Director Hong attended city meetings, he felt immensely honored!
"Chairman Wang, it's been a while, you truly amaze me!"
Director Hong's expression was complex.
"A few months ago, you even needed a loan for 500 million in project funds, but now, you're strategically investing 3.5 billion Hong Kong dollars in BYD! Amazing, truly amazing!"
Wang Yi waved his hand.
"Director Hong, being optimistic about Meiyou from the very beginning, that's what's truly amazing!"
"Hahahaha."
Director Hong was in high spirits.
Wang Yi hadn't gotten carried away just because he had achieved great success.
This personality trait made him involuntarily view Wang Yi in an even higher regard.
"Director Hong, it's time. Let's perform the ribbon-cutting together for the Meiyou Science Park groundbreaking ceremony!"
Wang Yi made a gesture of invitation.
"Okay! Chairman Wang, please!"
Director Hong laughed.
(End of chapter)